


Caught In the Right Light

by STARSdidathing



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Asgardian Tony Stark, Confessions, Denial of Feelings, Feelings Realization, Happy Ending, Loki (Marvel) Feels, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Tony Being Tony, Tony Feels, Wordcount: 5.000-10.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-14 20:29:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13597791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/pseuds/STARSdidathing
Summary: Loki had never enjoyed the company of his brother's friends and Anthony was no exception. The man was talkative, frustrating and had an aggravating smirk that Loki just wanted to wipe off his face. Loki didn't like him one bit. It was probably why the Norns decided it fitting to have them get captured together.





	Caught In the Right Light

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo, I have many stories I'm working on. It makes total sense that I'm not managing to work on them and instead manage to open two old documents/story ideas and pen those oneshots instead. **On the upside:** yay two more things off my list before they were even on my list! **On the downside:** The ones I'm working on still aren't completed, heh.
> 
> Ah, well, at least something has been written! So enjoy this oneshot, I'll post the other one in a few days :)
> 
> Also, please give _so much love_ to **NovaRain**. I'm coming down with something and feeling super drained so I asked her to look over this for mistakes (because I didn't trust my editing eye) and she helped me to tidy it. Bless her. ♥

“This is all your fault,” Loki hissed, looking over his shoulder to glare at the man behind him.

Anthony Howardson rather than looking repentant just shifted to better see Loki. Their faces were inches apart and Anthony’s insufferable smirk was curling his mouth. “I believe that was my line, Prince Loki.”

Loki made a disgusted noise and looked away from the other man. The two of them were tied up together by the wrists and sitting back to back at the edge of a troll campsite.

Thor and his brainless warriors had wanted to go looking for adventure and battle and Loki had been dragged along. There had been ambush--as there typically was when Thor was incapable of staying quiet--where they were quickly outnumbered and had needed to retreat. Loki had a plan that involved using his illusions to keep the enemy at bay while the others fled, but Anthony Howardson, stupid, foolish _heroic_ idiot that he was, refused to leave without Loki.

He’d tried to argue with the other man to let him handle things, but Anthony wouldn’t listen to his orders. It had distracted Loki enough that they managed to get themselves surrounded.

The others had escaped but the two of them were taken captive. Their wrists had been bound by a rope and they’d been shoved towards the trolls’ campsite. They were then forced to take their current position as the trolls set themselves up for the night. It had taken Loki only a few seconds to realise that their bindings were magic dampening and that he couldn’t call on his seidr. It made sense that they had such items in their possession as the trolls liked to capture and eat the fey folk.

The problem was that it would make it difficult for Loki to get free as well- even more so with an annoying weaponsmith now bound to him.

His frustration with the situation and the man who had ruined his plan only sharpened his already deadly tongue. “You complete and utter fool. I was perfectly capable of keeping us all from danger until you threw yourself back into battle,” Loki growled. “You should have followed my orders rather than letting your pride forbid you from retreating.”

“I take offense to that,” Anthony remarked, but his good-humoured tone belied his words. “My pride has never kept me from fleeing. Stubbornness on the other hand...”

Loki scoffed. “And what foolish reason kept you from obeying your Prince? You could not let any perceived victory be given to a user of seidr? You would rather have these creatures _eat_ us than have someone know that you-”

“Actually, Prince Loki,” and Anthony’s words were slightly sharper, “I would have no qualm with magic saving my life, but I would never leave a shield-brother to fight on his own.” The words made Loki blink, mostly that one of Thor's friends would deem him worthy enough of being called _shield-brother_ , but he didn’t get to remark on it as Anthony was continuing, his voice softening to the more relaxed, easy tone he preferred, “You were outnumbered and fighting an enemy that captures users of magic frequently. I would rather be caught alongside you in order to assist in our eventual and grand escape.”

Loki found himself momentarily lost for words when the other man finished. He knew that the other man could just be using his fabled charm to try and sweet-talk Loki but... to what end? They would both need each other’s help to escape and Loki would hardly leave the man to be _eaten_. There was truly no reason for Anthony to be so at ease; Volstagg, Thor and Sif would all make their fury at Loki and their capture be well known. Hogun and Fandral would merely wish to form a plan... so that when Thor inevitably rescued them they would be ready to break from their bindings and help him.

Anthony was the first of any of Thor’s friends who assumed that they would save themselves; more so, he assumed that _Loki_ would have a plan that merely needed to be enacted. It was... deeply surprising and made Loki feel painfully flattered. 

Genuine compliments were so rarely bestowed on Loki and were all the more coveted for their scarcity, and despite a part of him wanting to, now was not the time for him to revel in it. Loki had to force himself to push aside the conflicting and complicated mess of emotions that Anthony’s words had inadvertently inspired in order to give his attention to what he _should_ be focusing on: a plan.

“These bindings suppress my magic,” he admitted. “Are you able to reach inside my right sleeve? I keep a dagger there.”

Loki could hear the grin in Anthony’s voice, “You are lucky I have such dexterous fingers, Prince Loki.”

The way Anthony’s voice curled around _dexterous_ combined with those very fingers brushing Loki’s inner wrist to search for the dagger; it shouldn’t have made Loki flush, but Norns damn it, Loki wasn’t made of stone and annoying though Anthony might be, Loki would have to be a fool not to notice how attractive the man was.

Loki found his eyes fluttering shut as those fingers scraped over his skin and snuck under the sleeve of his jacket. Anthony’s fingers were stroking so carefully, so slowly, it was a mimicry of intimacy and it had been too long, _far_ too long since someone had touched Loki that way.

_Norns, Loki, you are bound in a troll encampment, get **control** of yourself._

The thought made Loki snap his eyes open and force his attention off Anthony’s questing fingers to look around them surreptitiously, but the trolls were too busy preparing their fire and laughing with one another to pay attention to their captives. Trolls, thankfully, were notoriously arrogant and obviously doubted their magic-dampening bindings would fail them.

The two Aesir used that to their advantage, their conversation and actions going unheard and unseen as Anthony managed to grip the hilt of the dagger and slowly begin drawing it out of its sheath until he could grasp it in his hands. The two of them also shuffled closer until they were practically pressed together, allowing them to further hide the dagger from view as Anthony began using it to cut through their bindings.

“So, once we are free,” Anthony remarked, the words spoken under his breath as he kept shaving away at the bindings, “what shall we do next, Prince Loki?”

“I thought that would be blindingly obvious,” Loki remarked flatly, refusing to let any of his earlier reactions show in his voice. “We are still outnumbered.”

“Ah, so you will have us regroup,” Anthony answered. “I suppose we should let the others have some fun. Although, I did rather like the idea of the two of us overthrowing the trolls on our own: another time, perhaps?”

Loki couldn’t stop the way he snapped his head to look at the other Aesir, but Anthony wasn’t looking at him, too intent on breaking the bindings without cutting either of them in the process. Loki still found himself incapable of stopping his staring; Anthony had not only believed that they could destroy a troll encampment on their own, but he had offered to _fight with Loki again._

Loki knew it could be in jest, he was certain it had to be but... but Loki still found himself accepting the praise with both hands. He knew he acted like a starving man before a banquet, but as long as Anthony did not _see_ his reactions then no one need know how those words helped to soothe a deep-seated frustration within him. To be valued, even if only slightly, was better than to be dismissed unthinkingly. 

He was still debating what to say to the other man that wouldn't give him away, when he felt his bonds break and heard Anthony’s triumphant huff. He was offering Loki the blade a moment later and after a cursory glance over the encampment, Loki shifted in order to quickly and expertly cut the bindings around Anthony’s wrists.

Anthony turned to face Loki the moment he was free, smiling wide, bright and full of excitement. Loki truly regretted having to tear his gaze away when one of the troll’s noticed they were free and roared in outrage.

Loki quickly threw out magic, creating a dozen copies of the two of them before grabbing Anthony’s arm and rushing towards the treeline. The clones, in response, started rushing in all different directions, confusing the trolls and making it hard to tell where the two of them had truly fled.

The thick trees and darkness of the night gave them ample cover, but Loki also knew that rushing around blindly and loudly would quickly draw the trolls to their location. He got them far enough away that they wouldn’t be initially noticed before he was pressing Anthony up against the bark of a large tree. He used magic to create an illusion that the tree was thicker than normal and disguising them as part of the bark.

“Hiding in plain sight?” Anthony murmured, his voice low but easy to hear. “How clever, my prince.”

Loki looked down only to realise far too late that he’d bodily pressed Anthony against the trunk; they were flush against one another with Anthony leaning back against the tree, his head tilted up oh so invitingly. The light from the moon through the canopy was casting Anthony’s face in shadows but he could still see Anthony’s familiar smirk and the dark wickedness of his brown eyes. 

Their positions made Loki swallow thickly, his body all too willing to channel the adrenaline of the moment into something else; a heat just waiting to be encouraged into life. Loki found his eyes flicking down the little of Anthony’s body that he could see in the darkness. When Anthony only seemed to tilt his head back further and arch himself even closer to Loki’s body, the mage's nails dug slightly into the wood of the tree.

“Your illusions are powerful, Prince Loki,” Anthony murmured, and Loki felt one of the weaponsmith’s hands come to very lightly rest against Loki’s side. “How much concentration do you need to maintain them?”

A dozen answers were on Loki’s tongue, ranging from the sarcastic to the truthful, but somehow, none of them escaped, not with Anthony’s eyes locked on his own and that infuriating smirk curling his mouth. It took the span of a moment for Loki to act and he couldn’t even bring himself to regret it when he covered Anthony’s mouth with his own.

When Anthony kissed him back, relief spread through Loki only to be closely overwhelmed and forgotten by the desire that took its place. Their tongues quickly tangled, fighting one another for dominance and sweeping them away from the world in a passion Loki hadn’t imagined was buried under his skin. Loki’s hands cupped Anthony’s cheeks while one of Anthony’s arms curled around his waist, the other coming around Loki’s neck. Loki just wanted more of the other man and he pressed him even firmer against the tree and slid a thigh between the weaponsmith's legs, kissing him deeply and nipping on Anthony’s bottom lip before they were regrettably forced apart for air.

They panted heavily as their foreheads rested together; the air was thick with desire even while realisations caught and formed in Loki’s mind.

 _That is why he always annoyed me so completely_ , the words were resigned; a sudden perception of why he had wanted as little to do with Anthony as possible. Loki was attracted to him and he’d long learned that wanting and not having was not something he could abide.

But... perhaps Anthony was not so unattainable? The other man had kissed him back and arched into his touches. Perhaps there was a chance?

Yet, before Loki could attempt to kiss the man again or ask what his interest in Loki was, the sound of heavy feet and battle cries pierced the forest and made them both jerk away from each other as they looked to the left. The glow of torches, crackle of lightning and sound of blades meeting made it obvious that Thor and the others had found them and were now engaged with the trolls.

They could not stay hiding here.

Forcing himself to push away, Loki dismissed the illusion that had been hiding them and shoved down any desire to kiss the other man again, at least... for now. The air felt weighted as they stared at each other, something needing to be said about what had just happened, but the words unable to be found and time working against them.

 _Trolls_ were working against them as one broke through the treeline and rushed towards them. Loki felled him with a thrown dagger through the eye, but it left the moment broken without repair as they rushed towards the sound of battle, Anthony pausing only long enough to pull Loki’s dagger from the troll to use as a weapon.

They quickly threw themselves into the battle, hearing Thor’s roar of triumph at seeing them, but Loki otherwise paid little attention to the people around him as he used magic and knives to cull through the trolls that he came across.

The battle itself didn’t take long, the rage from their capture having energised Thor and his friends until it was a bloodbath with no troll (and few trees) left standing. When the last enemy had fallen, Thor raised his hammer to the sky and let out a bellow of victory, Sif and the Warriors three echoing the chant. Loki found his gaze drifting to Anthony who was quick to hold Loki’s emerald eyes and quirk a smile. 

It made Loki desperately wish to say something, to steal back the moment they’d shared earlier, but before he could make any move towards the other man, Thor was engulfing Loki in a hug. The embrace made Loki flinch slightly, having been too distracted by Anthony to expect it.

“It is good to see you well, brother. I am heartened to see we found you before these beasts could harm you.”

Growling, Loki shoved Thor away from him. “I am no damsel in need of rescuing, Thor. Anthony and I had escaped by the time you even arrived.”

“Aye, but they were not yet defeated!” Thor insisted, laughing and lightly clapping Loki on the shoulder. “You led them to us for their destruction. A fine victory!”

Loki gritted his teeth, feeling the frustration of the dismissal as well as the slight against his ability to evade the enemy and win the battle. But before he could argue the point, Thor had turned away and was moving to congratulate his friends. A spiteful part of Loki wanted to enchant one of the roots to rise from the grounds so that Thor would trip over himself and land face first in a dead troll, but he resisted, barely.

He turned his attention instead to Anthony who had Fandral’s arm wrapped around his shoulder as he was prompted to recount their capture and valiant escape. Loki couldn’t hear Anthony’s words as he was too far away but decades of experience warned him that any warrior’s account of Loki's actions would never be flattering.

The idea... hurt more than it should have and Loki clenched his fist, frustrated at the shift in perception; the realisation as to _why_ Anthony had managed to get under his skin so persistently. And what would come of it now? They had kissed during the heat of escape when adrenaline was coursing through them and liable to have them make foolish decisions.

 _He will have no interest in you now that the battle has passed_ , the thought whispered through Loki’s mind, bitter and angry and he forced his eyes from Anthony to focus on picking up the few of his blades that he could see. 

He would not be the one to pine after Anthony and to chase him for another kiss or a continuation of their embrace. _Should he want to repeat what we shared then he will need to seek me himself._

Loki knew Anthony was unlikely to desire him outside of cloaking illusions and shadowed forests. It made a part of him ache, but Loki was resolved to the situation: if a single kiss was all that he experienced with Anthony, so be it.

* * *

It took them a good hour to dismantle and raid the troll encampment for anything of value before they made their way back to their own encampment which was situated an hour or so away.

It was a long walk filled with Thor’s loud jubilation over their victory while Loki lingered behind the group and tried to keep his eyes from drifting to Anthony. He was beyond relieved to reach the clearing where Loki’s wards were still guarding the perimeter.

A few curious fey had poked at his magic but their encampment had otherwise been left alone. Loki was happy to split off from the cheerful group by using the excuse of maintaining his wards. Loki barely waited to hear Thor’s acceptance of the excuse before he was striding to the opposite side of the camp and away from the others.

The campsite wasn’t overly large but there was enough room for a campfire, a tent each for Thor, Loki and Sif as well as a fourth to be shared by the rest. While Thor was often fond of sleeping without comfort, they had chosen a part of the Nine Realms that often poured with rain and Loki preferred not to get drenched in his sleep. Thor had, thankfully, seen sense and had agreed to his suggestion.

Stopping beside Sif’s tent, Loki was as hidden and secluded as he was ever going to be and he closed his eyes and let out a loud breath. Bringing up a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, Loki tried to push thoughts of Anthony to the side. He was going to need to walk out to the campfire and sit among the others soon enough. Loki needed to get himself firmly under control and his mask in place if he was going to be around the other man and pretend nothing had happened. He needed to pretend it was as it had always been: Anthony was little more than a loud, smug, teasing friend of Thor's. He was someone who Loki preferred to ignore rather than associate with - nothing more.

 _But you want to kiss him again_. Loki gritted his teeth as his traitorous mind pointed out truths he didn’t want to acknowledge. _You want him to spend the night in your tent._

It was as Loki was cursing at himself for his unhelpful thoughts and wishful desires that a voice interrupted him. “Prince Loki?”

Startled, Loki dropped his hand from his face and jerked his head around to see Anthony coming forward cautiously. 

“Anthony,” he greeted, his eyes darting to the other man’s mouth before he forced them back up to Anthony’s eyes. Loki cleared his throat. “Does Thor ask for me?”

“No,” Anthony murmured, shaking his head. He also stepped closer, ignoring all propriety until they were almost as close as when they were standing beside the tree.

It made Loki’s heart race and a long dormant part of him flutter with something suspiciously like _hope_. The hope that perhaps Anthony would still wish to work off some adrenaline with him, that they could, if not go to Loki’s tent, use the assistance of a ward to hide them from the others as they stroked themselves to completion right here.

“Then why do you seek me?” Loki asked, his voice low as he shifted to better face Anthony, letting himself, in some small way, show reception to an advance should Anthony offer one.

Anthony gave a small, noticeably nervous smile, even if his voice remained with its usual, cheerful tone, “I rather hoped you might agree that we were interrupted earlier.” He took another bold step forward, bringing their chests to lightly brush as he tilted his head to look up at Loki. “I was hoping we might be able to finish what we started.”

Loki’s mouth tipped into a smile before he could stop it, relief quick to flow through him. “Is that so?”

Hesitantly, Anthony’s hand came to Loki’s side, mirroring his action from earlier in the evening. His eyes were sharp on Loki’s face, searching for acceptance or rejection. “It is. Would you be inclined, Prince Loki?”

His smile spreading a little wider, Loki brought up a hand to lightly cup Anthony’s jaw, his thumb stroking near Anthony’s mouth. He watched with delight as it lightly parted. Loki couldn’t resist bringing his mouth down to Anthony’s, barely brushing their lips together as he offered, “I would and there is no need for formalities here, Anthony.”

Loki felt Anthony’s soft, relieved sigh moments before Loki was catching Anthony’s mouth in a proper kiss. The smaller Aesir’s hands were quick to slide around Loki’s sides again, only this time they moved to press against Loki’s back and catch in his jacket. In response, Loki wrapped his free arm around Anthony’s waist while his hand dropped to curl around Anthony’s neck.

Anthony only pressed closer against him, his mouth devouring Loki’s hungrily as he all but curled into Loki’s embrace. He was enthusiastic, passionate, determined; the heat coming off him and the way he fought Loki with a wicked tongue and sharp nips of his teeth; it made Loki feel as if the weaponsmith’s forge had somehow caught and affixed fire into Anthony’s soul.

He burned and he consumed and when Loki broke the kiss it was to gasp heavily. Anthony was panting as well and Loki wanted nothing more than to drag Anthony to his tent and not resurface until morning. But being known as Loki’s lover was no small thing. It came with its fair share of mockery and rumours and Loki knew many a person who did not wish to weather the gossip. His kisses with Anthony had only been in shadow; perhaps he would wish their affair to stay that way too?

Yet, despite the concerns rushing through Loki’s mind, Anthony seemed oblivious as he trailed his mouth over Loki’s jaw and towards his neck, making Loki’s eyes flutter shut as Anthony’s teeth nibbled on skin. Loki’s hand slipped into Anthony’s hair, holding him there and enjoying the attention. Loki could feel a mark forming and only wanted to encourage more of them both on his own skin and on Anthony’s.

“Shall we retire to your tent?” Anthony whispered against Loki’s skin, his hand scratching down Loki’s back suggestively. “Or do you wish to make us sit through Thor’s recounting of the battle first?”

His second question was filled with a fond mocking of the Thunderer which on any other occasion would have been the source of Loki’s focus, but it was the first question that was arresting his attention as he pulled back slightly to better look Anthony in the eye. “You would want to be seen as my lover?”

Anthony blinked, looking as surprised as Loki felt. “You think I would spend many months trying to gain your attention only to hide it when I have succeeded?”

“You sought to gain my attention,” Loki repeated dumbly, suddenly seeing Anthony’s constant pestering as something else, rapidly realising why Thor had been so insistent that Loki join any and all campaigns that involved his friends; involved _Anthony_.

_Norns, how long has this been going on? How long has Anthony been tricking Thor into bringing me along?_

“I thought you knew I...” Anthony’s expression suddenly fell, something pained briefly flickering over his face before he dropped his touches and took a step back from the prince, instantly making Loki feel cold. “I am not simply looking for a body to sate me after a battle.”

“You...” Loki still found it difficult to fathom. “You have interest in me as a lover? As a _partner?_ ”

Anthony winced a little and admitted, “Not permanently,” he smiled tightly. “You are a prince, I know that, but I did wish to have more than...” he trailed off, his eyes darting away as he sighed, his voice noticeably disheartened. “I apologise for the misunderstanding, Prince Loki.”

He quickly started to turn away from the embarrassment of his presumption and the rejection of his desires, but Loki hurriedly reached for him, lightly touching the smaller man’s arm and gently requesting, “Wait.”

Anthony stilled before cautiously raising his head to look at Loki. The prince was momentarily torn as to what to do. Anthony had made a point, a _valid_ point; Loki was a potential heir to the throne and he and Anthony had little but physical attraction and newly realised fondness (on his part at least) between them. While Anthony wasn’t asking for commitment, he was requesting an ongoing arrangement and the chance for them to develop something more.

How many people had ever asked for something like that with Loki? How many people had been willing to withdraw their affections if they couldn’t have more than physicality with him? How many people chose _him_ over all others?

Feeling almost nervous, Loki licked his lips and admitted. “I did not know that was what you sought from me, Anthony.”

Anthony, far cleverer than Loki had ever given him credit for, far sharper than Loki had let himself notice in the past, caught the change in Loki’s tone. He started to relax just slightly; he started to shift back into Loki’s personal space. 

“And now that you are aware?” Anthony asked quietly.

Loki didn’t need to debate his answer for long before he replied, “I would be glad to retire with you to my tent.”

Anthony’s mouth quirked, revealing the smile that Loki had missed seeing on his handsome face as he parroted back Loki’s words; a hint of tease in his voice but a seriousness in his eyes, “You would want to be seen as my lover?”

Loki let himself smirk, his hand sliding down to Anthony’s wrist as he let his fingers brush suggestively over skin. His words however, were far more important. “Should you prove yourself worthy of more than a night, I will be willingly _known_ as your lover.”

_I would be willing to be your partner; at least, I would be willing to try._

Anthony read the offer between his words and when Anthony smiled; his grin could have shamed the sun in how much it glowed with his happiness. He kissed Loki suddenly and passionately, his hands cupping Loki’s cheeks as he moved in close, his body curled against Loki’s until the prince could only wrap his arms around Anthony’s waist.

He kissed so openly, so affectionately as if he didn’t fear that Loki would hurt or betray him. It made a part of Loki’s mind hiss _foolish man_ , but the rest of him was incredibly touched. His heart raced at the gesture and his mouth eagerly responded to Anthony’s own. They kissed for long minutes, their mouths battling and their hands sliding over leather and metal to explore what they could of one another’s bodies when they were mostly hidden by armour.

It was a pity that they had to part, but if they wanted to get to know one another’s bodies in earnest; they would need to make their way to Loki’s bed and the uninterrupted privacy that came with his tent.

Forcing himself to pull his mouth away from Anthony’s and to let him go, Loki tried to take a step back, only to hear Anthony make a noise between a whine and a growl. It made Loki smile instinctually and let out a soft chuckle. “Do you not wish to take this somewhere more private, Anthony?” 

Anthony made another frustrated noise, the huff of breath ghosting over Loki’s neck and making him want to shiver, but Anthony still let Loki’s clothing go and stepped back. Loki couldn’t stop the way his smile grew even wider at the sight of Anthony’s ruffled hair from where Loki’s fingers had curled into it. There was also a light flush on Anthony’s cheeks and his eyes were slightly dilated from arousal. Loki was already eager to discover what other sights the night would bring for them.

Making a gesture with his hand, he beckoned Anthony to follow him as he turned on his heel and started walking through the camp. Anthony was quick to join him, walking right by Loki’s side and letting their arms brush; each moment sending a thrill through Loki’s body.

He wanted to undress Anthony slowly, to discover every spot that made Anthony cry out. He wanted to be explored in turn; to see Anthony’s eyes fill with passion and watch as affection leaked into his touch and gaze. Loki wanted to share a bed with someone who would curl into him during the aftermath and smile at him in the morning.

Loki was eager to experience all of it with Anthony, so it made perfect sense that his plan to head directly for his tent without disruption was foiled. 

They had been walking too close to the roaring fire that the others had built and Thor had noticed them. “Loki! Anthony!” He called happily when he spotted them, gesturing them over. “Come join us for a discussion of the battle.”

“Thank you, Thor,” Loki answered, feeling his side brush against the smaller Aesir’s when Anthony automatically moved closer, as if afraid he would change his mind. There was little chance of that. “But Anthony and I are retiring for the night.”

Hogun was the first to catch the implication as he surveyed the two of them, his eyebrows rising in a show of surprise. Fandral was the second and his response was much more vocal. He laughed loudly and slapped his leg, “Hah! I see your efforts have not been in vain! Congratulations, Anthony!”

Loki was surprised that the swordsman had been aware, but then, Fandral and Anthony had always been the closest among the group. 

“Of course my efforts were not wasted,” Anthony answered, swiftly capturing Loki’s attention as he looked at the brunet. Anthony was smiling, bright and joyful as he told Fandral, “I am much like my prince in that,” and Anthony’s dark eyes flicked to Loki there, dancing with an excitement that was only meant for Loki, “I do not stop until I gain what I want.”

His words caused further laughter and teasing from the group but Loki was barely aware of it, he only had eyes and ears for Anthony. The man whose smile had turned a little softer and whose voice was quiet as he explained, “It is one of the reasons why I am so fond of him.”

Loki very nearly kissed him, but he didn’t, if only to avoid further teasing and raucous behaviour from the others. Loki settled for wrapping an almost possessive arm around Anthony’s waist, gaining pleasant surprise from the brunet before he leant into Loki’s hold.

He led the weaponsmith speedily towards his tent and while they did have to part when Loki opened the flap to let the other man inside, it took only a moment for the door to shut and give them their much needed privacy.

Anthony was dragging Loki into a kiss a moment later, one that the prince didn’t resist. He kissed Anthony deeply and felt heat rush through his body as he held Anthony in his arms. It was almost incredible to believe that a day ago he would never have imagined himself in such a position; that he would have told anyone who asked that he despised Anthony as one more irritating friend of Thor’s - but Loki would have been lying, to them and to himself; now he knew why Anthony had always had a knack for working his way under Loki’s skin. Now he knew why conversations with Anthony had always left him frustrated and unsettled.

And now, Loki could only say, that he was glad he realised the truth and had learned that it was mutual.

**Author's Note:**

> Would you look at this! Pining!Tony! With Mutual!Pining on the side! An odd one for me, but one I had such fun penning :)
> 
> Also, if anyone is curious with Loki in this, the way I wrote him was he kind of regonised Tony was smart and amusing and handsome as hell when they first met. He then subsequently refused to acknowledge it and told himself that Tony was as dumb as the others and annoying not funny because it was easier to think that when Anthony was always around.
> 
> So when he realises the truth _and_ that Anthony is interested in him for more than just sex, he jumps at the chance. It might go horribly pear-shaped, but this is the first time he's ever had something like this happen to him, he'd be a fool if he didn't give it a go :)


End file.
